Railroad hopper car with flexible hatch cover

ABSTRACT

A railway hopper car includes a roof structure having an elongated hatch opening through which the car is loaded. A cover for the opening includes a pair of elongated flexible sheets having outer edges connected to the roof around the peripheral edges of the hatch opening and inner edges of the flexible sheets in adjacent relation are provided with slide fastener means permitting the cover to be opened to expose the entire length of the hatch and operable to close the hatch opening with the cover in sealed relation. The fastener means includes a pair of slide members which may be moved longitudinally along the cover to provide a limited access to the interior of the car in spaced locations along the length of the cover.

[45] Jan. 2, 1973 United States Patent [1 1 Adler [54] RAILROAD HOPPER CAR. WITH FLEXIBLE HATCH COVER Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza [75] Inventor' 53 Adler Michigan City Assistant Examiner-Richard A. Bertsch Attorney-Hilmond O. Vogel and Richard J. Myers Pullman Transport Leasing Com- [73] Assignee:

[57] ABSTRACT A railway hopper car includes a roof structure having pany, Chicago, Ill.

an elongated hatch opening through which the car is loaded. A cover for the opening includes a pair of elongated flexible sheets having outer edges con- 0 7 9 1 6 1 m D9 o N l 0. mo. FA 1] 21 22 [l mmflmwnmwm mmm mu f t owmm mm m m m m cm m k-w bw m fl mmntmm dw fl fl m r a e f OC r. e m o h u eio m amt g .l n m wm m F w m a m g s h m. .m e d 6 m w ei m su n n e a e t on m de fle D n mnsm UH C mC Sf 7 m m w s a.ma m s m 0 630 fd g v a Onn n od ll hle .w l n m C t m .nm 4 e m.1n em. hilem r o ir tn n rlw 0 heaa m mmmm i d esna m fi whcneh Caa vc wwmm m nhammmTwPm M wwww 4 3333 9 73 ///l 43.51 mwwm ,1. 5/ lq lI-l 6 ,6 9119 m: 2 42 m W W m N m 3 u. l N u 5 "7 E u.. o 3 "n" J "N m M m m WWW .n P mm" C S mm mm n" s E entwin m T 1.21 n A .mn m e BHMV a. r T e a .m S SBWD "uh e D 0 R E 5 52 NW n 6761 n 9999 s N 1111 l.. UWU CUM U s m v U.mF WWW 4 5 1]] 9555 2 6 697 555 5 1,5,1,O, [rt-I. 333

PATENTEUM 2m 3.707.919

SHEET 1 OF 3 INVENTOR FRANKLIN P ADLER PATENTEDJAN 2 I975 3. 707 9 1 9 sum 2 or 3 INVENTOR FRANKLIN P ADLER PATENTEDJAN 2 ms SHEET 3 OF 3 INVENTOR FRANKLIN P ADLER W/fl/ ATT'Y' RAILROAD HOPPER CAR WITH FLEXIBLE HATCH COVER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention pertains to the art of railway hopper cars and particularly to those having elongated hatch openings in the roofs thereof which are closed and sealed by means of hatcher covers.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art in the field of the invention is particularly well disclosed in the Schmeider US. Pat. No. 3,176,630, patented Apr. 6, 1965 which discloses a hopper car including an elongated hatch and covers therefor. Hatch covers for closing the hatch openings of hopper cars have usually been constructed of metal, such as steel, aluminum, or a plastic material. Such covers have required considerable maintenance since they are subjected to rough usage and if misaligned or damaged they no longer adequately perform the required sealing function with resultant damage to the interior materials of the car due to the elements. Also such hatch covers generally have been hinged to the roof of the car and fastened down by suitable levers or other securing latch means. These also are susceptible to damage and require frequent repair. In the use of the elongated hatch cover during loading a substantially large portion of the elongated hatch is exposed. Thus when finely divided materials are blown through the hatch cover a certain amount of dust is discharged into the atmosphere thus adding to pollution. The present invention overcomes this problem and those of the aforementioned prior art structures.

SUMMARY The present invention utilizes a flexible or rubberlike hatch cover which is divided into a plurality of adjacent sheets extending longitudinally over the hatch opening and being connected to the roof of the hopper car around the peripheral edges of the opening. Inner longitudinally adjacent edges of the rubber-like sheets are interconnected by conventional slide fastener means of the zipper or equivalent type. In the present invention, two sliders or slide members are provided and these are movable along the length of the inner edges of the sheets which are provided with conventional type of interengaging or interlocking elements. Thus the hatch may be completely exposed along the length thereof by simply moving the slide members in opposite directions from a central point longitudinally outwardly, or only limited portions of the cover may be opened to provide access to the interior of the car. By sliding the sliders in spaced-apart relation from one end of the cover to the other, a limited access may be had to the interior of the hopper car at all points along the length of the cover. Thus the invention removes the need for hinge elements and troublesome clamping mechanisms, seals, etc. which are necessary in covers of the prior art. The slide fasteners are covered by a flexible flap which is removably secured to the cover for effectively sealing the hatch cover and protecting the slide fasteners against the elements.

- 2 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a hopper car showing an improved hatch closure arrangement;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a hatch cover arrangement in a fully open position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a hatch cover in a partially open position;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a modification of a sealing arrangement for a flexible hatch cover.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings a railway hopper car is generally designated by the reference character 10. The car 10 includes car ends 11 and sides 12 supporting a roof structure generally designated at 13. The roof structure 13 includes a roof sheet 14 extending the full length and width of the hopper car, the said roof sheet 14 including upwardly extending side flanges 15 connected to longitudinally spaced rear flanges 16 providing a substantially rectangular hatch opening 17.

A cover 18 for the opening 17 includes a pair of ad jacent longitudinally extending sheets 19 and 20 which may be made of a flexible material such as rubber, plastic, or other equivalent material having flexibility, endurance, and high sealing characteristics. Flexible sheets 19 and 20 may also be suitably reinforced so as to impart a certain rigidity while still maintaining the desirable flexible features which will be described below in more detail. As best shown in FIG. 6, each of the sheets 19 and 20 is provided with outer edges 21 which are slotted as indicated at 22 and are connected in overlapping receiving engagement with the upwardly extending flanges 15. The transversely extending opposite ends of the sheets 19 and 20 are similarly constructed to connect to the rear flanges 16 of the roof sheet 14. Bolt and nut fasteners 23 spaced along the outer edges 21 suitably connect the outer edges to the upwardly extending flanges 15 and 16.

The cover sheets 19 and 20 respectively include inner edge portions 24 and 25 which are disposed in substantially contiguous or adjacent relation longitudinally and substantially parallel to the length of the cover 18. Each of the inner edge portions 24 and 25 are provided with slide fastener means in the form of teeth or interlocking members 26. The slide fastener may be of the zipper type or of any equivalent wherein the inner edge portions 24 and 25 are provided with interengaging means and are interlocked by means of a slide member and also disengaged by the same. The slide members are designated at 27 and have connected thereto hinged tabs 28.

As best shown in FIG. 3, two slide members 27 are utilized and when spread apart provide a limited access opening 29. A loading tube 30 is adapted to be inserted through or positioned above the limited access opening 29 for supplying materials to the inner portions of the hopper car 10.

As best shown in FIG. 6, in the closed position of the cover 18, a flap 31 also of flexible material is formed integrally with the sheet 19 and includes longitudinal serrations 32 which interengage longitudinal serrations 33 provided on the upper surface of the inner edge portions 25. The flap 31 is adapted to cover the slide fastener means 26 and slide members 27 and effectively seal the cover 18 during the closed position thereof.

A modified form of flap 31 is shown in FIG. 7 which includes dovetailed projections 34 which are clampingly engaged within dovetailed recesses 35 formed in the inner edge portion 25 of the sheet 20.

THE OPERATION In order to open the cover 18, the flap 31 is lifted upwardly providing ready access to the slide fastener means 26. As indicated in FIG. 1, in the fully closed position the slide members 27 may be positioned substantially centrally of the car. The slide members 27 are moved in opposite directions opening the cover 18 from the closed position shown in FIG. 1 to the completely open position shown in FIG. 2. As indicated in FIG. 5, the cover sheets 19 and 20 are disposed substantially vertically or they may be folded downwardly over the roof sheets. The sheets 19 and 20 may have a stiffening member embedded therein in the form of metallic screening or other stiffening means. In the event that the sheets 19 and 20 are so reinforced they may, nevertheless, assume the position shown in FIG. as indicated. However, the sheets 19 and remain flexible and are easily returned to the closed position. To close the cover the sheets are merely folded down into the closed position and the slide members 27 are moved and returned to the position indicated in FIG. 1. Either one of the slide members 27 of course may be moved separately, thereby uncovering only portions of the cover along the length of the car as desired.

As shown in FIG. 3, the slide members 27 also may be spread apart slightly to provide the limited access indicated at 29. This is particularly desirable to provide access to a relatively small area whereby if relatively fine comminuted material is discharged from the tube 30 into the car, there is little chance of dust escaping and thus polluting the atmosphere. Further, in this manner there is less chance of spillage and the slide members 27 may be moved only slightly apart to just permit the tube 30 to be inserted therethrough to eliminate the escape of material. Also in the separated position of the slide means 27 they may be moved conjointly along the entire length of the inner edge portions 24 and 25 thus permitting limited access at any point along the length of the cover.

Thus the advantages over the prior art as indicated above are readily apparent. Maintenance is at .a minimum since the covers need not be hinged and need not have extensive mechanical clamping means. Further, effective sealing is obtained since the connection of the cover to the roof sheet prevents any possibility of the entrance of rain, ice, etc. The slide fastener means 26 is completely protected by the overlapping flap,31 so that under all weather conditions it may readily be opened in a simple manner to effectuate its proper function.

What is claimed is: 1. A railway hopper car having a roof structure msaid slide fastener means including interlocking means on said inner edges, and a pair of slidable members, each being engageable with said interlocking means during movement in one direction for interengaging said interlocking means and in an opposite direction for disengaging said interlocking means,

said slidable members being movable in opposite directions for uncovering substantially said entire opening, and movable in the same direction while relatively longitudinally spaced apart to provide limited access at a plurality of locations along said adjacent inner edges.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said opening being of elongated configuration and said inner edges being substantially coextensive therewith.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

including sealing means overlapping said inner edges for covering said slide fastener means.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 3,

said sealing means including an elongated flap of resilient material connected to one of said inner edges and being substantially coextensive therewith, said flap and said other inner edge having interengaging disconnectable interlocking means. 

1. A railway hopper car having a roof structure including a roof sheet having an opening through which materials are directed for loading said car, the improvement comprising: a cover for said opening, said cover including a pair of flexible sheet members having outer edges connected to said roof sheet around the peripheral edge of said opening, said sheet members having inner edges disposed in coextending adjacent relation, said inner edges being adapted to be relatively spread apart for uncovering said opening to provide access therethrough, slide fastener means interconnecting said inner edges to close said opening, said slide fastener means including interlocking means on said inner edges, and a pair of slidable members, each being engageable with said interlocking means during movement in one direction for interengaging said interlocking means and in an opposite direction for disengaging said interlocking means, said slidable members being movable in opposite directions for uncovering substantially said entire opening, and movable in the same direction while relatively longitudinally spaced apart to provide limited access at a plurality of locations along said adjacent inner edges.
 2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said opening being of elongated configuration and said inner edges being substantially coextensive therewith.
 3. The invention in accordance with claim 1, including sealing means overlapping said inner edges for covering said slide fastener means.
 4. The invention in accordance with claim 3, said sealing means including an elongated flap of resilient material connected to one of said inner edges and being substantially coextensive therewith, said flap and said other inner edge having interengaging disconnectable interlocking means. 